Amex partnership with Aeroplan extended until 2020
By: Jessica Mach on May 18, 2018
American Express Canada has agreed to extend its partnership with Aeroplan until June 29, 2020, the credit card company announced Monday.
The agreement extends to the companies’ four collaborative credit cards: American Express AeroplanPlus Gold Card, American Express AeroplanPlus Platinum Card, American Express AeroplanPlus Reserve Card, and American Express AeroplanPlus Card.
The partnership between Amex Canada and Aeroplan will now expire at the same time as Air Canada’s contract with the rewards program. The partnership was originally slated to last only until 2018, the Toronto Star reported last year.
“This agreement will give our valued American Express card users and members added certainty as we transition to our new Air Canada program in 2020,” said Benjamin Smith, president, passenger airlines at Air Canada.
However, it’s unclear if Amex cards now branded with Aeroplan will be rebranded to Air Canada’s new program in 2020. Amex didn’t reply to a request for comment, but a spokesperson for Air Canada said it’s “ too soon to discuss any potential future partnerships.”
This news comes in the wake of management shakeups at Aimia, Aeroplan’s parent company. Over the past four weeks, the company has seen the appointment of a new CEO, Jeremy Rabe, as well as the departure of David Johnston, who’d served as the company’s group chief executive.
It also follows a slew of changes in Aeroplan’s lineup of corporate partners.
On Tuesday, the rewards program announced a new partnership with Athens-based airline Olympic Air, which will allow Aeroplan members to both collect and redeem Aeroplan Miles via travel with the airline. Since April 24, Aeroplan members have also been able to earn points through purchases made on Amazon.ca.
But, the rewards program also lost other partners recently. In addition to Air Canada, which announced, in 2017, that it would be dropping Aeroplan in favour of a new in-house rewards program once their contract ended, the company also saw the end of a partnership with Esso this year.
In March, the gas station chain said that starting this summer, customers would be able to earn PC Optimum points at its locations instead.
